


A New Found Friend

by rumplestiltskinsbulge



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Rumbelle - Freeform, Rumbelle Showdown
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-22
Updated: 2015-04-22
Packaged: 2018-03-25 04:48:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3797296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rumplestiltskinsbulge/pseuds/rumplestiltskinsbulge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>written as part of Round 1 of the 2015 rumbelleshowdown under the name Gaston.</p>
<p>Prompts: Books, Walk on by, Friends</p>
            </blockquote>





	A New Found Friend

Belle French didn’t have many friends. She had her books, though, and that was fine by her. Books didn’t judge her, and they allowed her to live an adventurous and heroic life that a small town like Storybrooke, Maine could not. The characters that lived in those pages were her best friends, until he came along.

She hadn’t realized how many times she had walked by Mr. Gold on the street, nose buried in a book, until the day he saved her life. She’d always felt she had the presence of mind (even while reading) to know what was going on around her. She knew when to put her book down to cross the street, when she reached Granny’s or the library, and she did it all while reading, which held most of her attention. How many times had her papa told her she ought to pay more attention to where she was walking? He was right.

She followed her daily routine, walking from her apartment above the library where she worked to the diner that she frequented. She was nearing the end of her book– the most exciting part. Would the hero prevail? Would he finally tell the woman he loved how he felt? She was eager to know. And it was that eagerness that made her forget to watch as she crossed the road.

She was grabbed from behind, strong arms pulling her backwards and out of the street as a horn blared and a car went by. As he pulled her out of harm’s way, one of her heels caught on the edge of the sidewalk and she stumbled back. They both fell to the ground, her savior making an “Oomph!” sound as they did.

“Oh my goodness, I am so sorry!” She scrambled out of his arms, which he’d wrapped around her as they fell to keep her from getting hurt. “Are you okay?” When her eyes fell on the pawn broker, Mr. Gold, she felt surprise mingle with the fear and adrenaline.

“I’m fine– fine,” he said, clearly having had the wind knocked out of him with the fall. “I’m more concerned about you, Ms. French.” Belle stood on shaking legs and helped him to his feet. She bent down and grabbed his gold tipped cane, handing it back to him.

“I’m okay– kind of scared and feeling extremely foolish, but unharmed.” She looked him over, concern and gratitude in her azure eyes. “Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked almost gently. He fixed his coat and straightened his tie, regaining some of his normal demeanor.

“Quite alright,” he said flippantly. “You really should be more careful, Ms. French.” His tone was stern, but it had a concerned undertone.

“Yes, yes– of course,” she agreed, nodding her head and brushing a curl behind her ear. “Mr. Gold– thank you. Thank you so, so much.” He moved to brush away her thanks, but she interrupted him. “Don’t say it was nothing, you saved my life. Please– let me buy you lunch, at least?” He looked like he was about to argue, but he seemed to realize that she wouldn’t take no for an answer. With a small nod, he gestured for her to cross the now empty road to head to the diner.

At the diner, they got more than a few odd looks. It made her blush, as she wasn’t quite used to getting so much attention. “I see you every day,” he told her as their tea came. Funny– she didn’t peg Gold as an iced tea drinker. “You just walk on by with your nose in a book,” his smile was small, as though he found that habit somewhat adorable, but soon his features turned stern. “I knew one day you would get yourself into trouble. I’m just glad I was there to keep you from harm.”

“Me too.” Her cheeks heated with a blush. This was a new side of Mr. Gold that she’d never seen before. “It was very heroic.”

He chuckled, and the sound was warm and inviting. “I’ve heard many words used to describe me, Ms. French– heroic has never been one of them.” He smiled at her, seemingly bemused.

“Belle,” she said abruptly. He gave her an odd look, and she explained. “My friends call me by my first name.”

“Friends?” She seemed to have taken him by surprise. “We’re friends now, are we?”

“You saved my life, Mr. Gold.” She spoke as though her reasoning should be glaringly obvious to him. “I dare say that gives you the right to my friendship. Unless– you’d rather not…” The blush returned as she realized that he may not want her friendship.

“I do,” he said almost too quickly. “I mean– I would be honored to be your friend, Ms. French.”

“Well then, you’ll have to start calling me Belle, Mr. Gold.” She smiled at him, a small, amused smile.

“And by the same rule, you should call me Adam.”

“Adam.” She tried the name as she looked at him, head tilted to the side allowing her curls to fall down her shoulder. “It suits you,” she decided. That pulled another bemused smile from her new friend. 

“As yours suits you. It means ‘beauty,’ yes?” She shrugged with a light pink blush.

“So I’ve heard,” she said modestly.

“Now, now– don’t be so shy. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, to be beautiful. Not like being being an old monster, eh?”

Belle gave him a pointed look. “You’re not a monster,” she said. “And you’re not old.”

“I’m 53, Belle,” he said with a chuckle.

“Well– you don’t look old. Besides, 53 isn’t that old when you think about how long people live nowadays.”

“It’s twice as old as you are, at least.”

“And some people live to be 100. For all you know, you’re only halfway through your life.”

He stared at her for a moment with what she thought might be an endeared expression before he spoke. “You’re a very stubborn young woman, Belle.”

“So I’ve heard.” They both laughed at that.

Their food came and went and they made small talk while they ate. She told him of the books she’d read, he shared his favorite movies with her, and they bonded over a mutual taste for 50’s music. She wondered how they had never spoken before, and she realized that the times they might have had the opportunity, she was always reading. Perhaps, she thought, her books didn’t have to be her only friends. And perhaps she had shut herself off by reading so much.

After Gold insisted on paying (despite the fact that their lunch was supposed to be her thank you to him), they moved out into the street. She had to reopen the library. He had to reopen the shop. Neither of them wanted to leave. A shy silence fell between them, until Belle broke it by leaning in and placing a small, chaste kiss to his cheek. His stubble scratched against her soft lips and she felt him tense. She pulled away with a pink tint on her cheeks. “Thank you again, Adam.”

He did nothing but nod, and Belle gave him a soft smile as she bid him goodbye. It was the last day she ever read on the way to Granny’s.

**Author's Note:**

> Find this fic as well as more drabbles, prompts, and answered questions on my tumblr: rumplestiltskinsbulge.tumblr.com


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